text: In DNA, the 5 carbon is located at the top of the leading strand, and the 3 carbon is located at the lower section of the lagging strand. The nucleic acid sequences are complementary and parallel, but they go in opposite directions, hence the antiparallel designation. The antiparallel structure of DNA is important in DNA replication because it replicates the leading strand one way and the lagging strand the other way. During DNA replication, the leading strand is replicated continuously whereas the lagging strand is replicated in segments known as Okazaki fragments.